Handicapper



E. N. MALOOF June 4, 1957 HANDICAPPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 4, 1956 BY Mw ATTORNEY United States Patent-O HANDICAPPER Edward N. Maloof, Las Vegas, N. Mex.

Application June 4, 1956, Serial No. 589,253

6 Claims. (Cl. 23S-@89) This invention relates to a handicapping device and consists more particularly in new and useful improvemerits in a handicapper for use in connection with horse racing and similar events to translate past performances of various entries or contestants, into time tigures most likely to be attained in races of different distances, not previously recorded.

Heretofore, handicapping devices have been proposed for horse racing and the like, but all of those with which 1 am familiar are extremely complicated in construction, awkward to manipulate and diicult tto decipher, which no doubt is the reason they have not been more widely used. It is the primary object of the present invention to provide `a handicapping device which is relatively sim-v ple in construction and easy to operate and one which overcomes the disadvantages of those heretofore in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a handicapping device comprising a main sheath-like card having la series of vertically spaced, longitudinally extending, parallelv slots or windows, bearing distance and rtime designations and a single movable slide member which is longitudinally adjustable with respect to vsaid slots or windows and carries a series of horse length designations, respectively visible through said Windows, whereby, through manipulation of the slide member, the desired calculation can be made on the face of the sheath-like card without resorting to a series of complicated `operations.

Although the principle of the invention is adaptable to various uses, this handicapping device is primarily designed for 4use in connection with horse racing, las a guide in y'arranging handicaps and assuring the proper entry of horses with others of comparable records in races of a given distance and taking into consideration the previous performances of such entries.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consistsin the novel features herein set forth, illustrated in the accompanying Idrawings and'more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is la plan view of my improved handicapping device showing the slide member partially withdrawn.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view showing the initial setting of the slide member on the basis of a past recorded performance.

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the adjusted setting of the slide member to indicate the probable time of the horse over a course of la different length.

Figures 4 and 5 are similar to Figures 2 and 3 but illustrate calculations based upon dilerent conditions.

The particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings is designed for handicapping short races known as quarter races although it will be understood that the principle of the invention may be applied to races of varying lengths by simply revising the designations on Patented June 4, 1957 ice the device to meet the special conditions of such races.

Referring first to Figure l, the numeral 10 represents a flat sheath-like card, the face of which bears certain fixed indicia relative to the time and distance of a predetermined variety of races. In the form shown, the front wall of the card 10 is provided with a series of cutout slots or windows 11 to 17 inclusive, which are longitudinally disposed with respect to the card 10 and vertically spaced in parallel relation. Adjacent one end of the series of slots just referred to, the face of the card 10 carries a vertical column of distance designations 18, graduated to indicate distances for respective slots, preferably ranging from 220 yards to 440 yards. Thus, the uppermost slot 11 is designated 220 yds, slot 12, 250 yds, slot 13, 300 yds, slot 14, 330 yds, slot 15, 350 yds. slot 16, 400 yds, and slot 17, 440 yds.

Above each of the slots 11 to 17, the face of the card 10 carries a series of time designations 11a to 17a, respectively. Each series of time designations is graduated from left to right, starting respectively with lthe fastest recorded time for the particular length of race designated by the column 18, adjacent the various slots. Thus, the series of time designations 11a, starts with 11.5 seconds and .progressively increases to 14.2 seconds, indicating that the 220 yard race has a recorded best time of 1.1.5 seconds. Likewise, the time designation series 12a starts with 12.8 seconds, series 13a with 15.3 seconds, etc.

Slidably supported in the sheath-like card 10, is a slide member 19, which is shiftable longitudinally with respect to the slots 11 to 17 and projectable and retractible from either end of the card 10, the opposite ends of the card 1() being provided with cut-out portions 20 and 21 to permit the gripping of either end of the slide member 19,l

the spacing of the slots or windows 11 to 17 respectively,`

and are visible through the latter.

The actual spacing of the length designations is such that each half-length calibrated on the slide member 19 is spaced a distance from the preceding half-length mark,

equal to the distances between the respective time designations in the rows ila to 17a for the reason hereinafter v explained. Each row of length designations 22 to 28,-

is divided by a marker or pointer 29, into oppositely graduated scales, as will be seen in Figure l. In other words, starting with the pointer 29, and progressing toward the right, each row is calibrated for one half-length, one length, one and one-half lengths, two lengths, two and a half lengths, etc. while the same row is progressively calibrated toward the left from the pointer 29, with one half-length, one length, one and a half lengths, two lengths, etc. Normally, when the slide member is fully retracted, all of the vertically aligned pointers 29 come -to rest adjacent the first time `calibration or that of the fasest speed recorded for the respective races designated in column 18.

In the use of this device, a daily racing form or other record` of past performance is rst referred to. Let us assume that the race to be run is 350 yds. and that no record of the horse in question indicates that he has ever run a 350 yard race. However, we iind that he has run a race of 300 yards and the record shows that this race was run in 16.3 seconds with the particular horse starting 6th and 1% lengths behind the lead horse at the start. The record further shows that the horse nished 4th and was 2% lengths behind the winning horse. In other words, the horse in question actually lost one length aecording to the record of his past performance for a 300 yd. race.

In order to calculate the probable time of this horse in a 35() yard race, referring to Figure, 2 the marker 29 in row 24 on the slide member 19, is set in slot 13 adjacent the indicia 16.3 seconds in the 300 yd. row 13a, on the card 1t?, this being the time recorded for the horses last performance in a 300 yard race. Now turning to Figure 3, the adjusted time is determined by shifting the slide 19 to the right, as indicated by the arrow, until the marker 29 has moved one length of a horse, or the distance this horse lost the 300 yard race. As before explained, the spacing of the half lengths in row 24 is equal to the spacing of the markings indicating the time in row 13a and therefore by moving the marker 29 one full length of a horse, it is shifted with respect to the indicia in row 13a to the marking 16.5 seconds or two graduations. During this shifting movement, the corresponding marker 29 in row 26 on the slide member is moved an equivalent distance and by shifting the vision f down to slot 15, or the 350 yard length slot, it will be seen that the marker 29 indicates 18.9 seconds, which is the probable time in which this horse will run the 350 yard race.

y In another example, illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, we will assume that the horse in question actually made up one length according to the past performance record in av 300 yard race. ln this instance, the marker 29 in row 24 Vadjacent the 300 yard time designation is rst set as before at 16.3 seconds, as shown in Figure 4. However, having gained a length, the slide 19 is moved to the left one length or two graduations, until the marker 29 in row 24 stops adjacent the indicia 16.1 seconds, showing a gain of one length. Now by shifting the vision down to slot 15, we find that the marker 29 in row 26 indicates 18.5 seconds for the 350 yard race.

-The following table will show the results obtained in analyzing an entire field of eight horses, for example, in a 460 yard race to be run.

Name of Distance, Time Start Finish Corrected Time for Horse yards Time 400 yds.

, l 1 400 21.1 71711154 7th1 2l. 1 2l. 1 2 35() 18. 8 81511455 8thmi 18. 6 21 3rd 3 350 18. 5 4th th 18. 9 2l. 3 4 400 20. 9 thl i Gthl 20.8 20.8 1st 5 300 1G. 2 4tl154 3111134 16. 4 21. 2 6L 400 20. 9 lstbd 4th*Ik 20. 9 20. 9 2nd 7 250 14 i'dnk 2n 14. 2 21. 5 8 330 17. 8 thl thl 17. 7 21. 1

From the foregoing it will be seen that the best time shown for 400 yards is 20.8 seconds, made by horse No. 4.l Therefore, this horse will most likely nish in first place with No. 6 horse in second place with a time of 20.9

seconds, and horse No. 2 in third place with a timev of 21 seconds, etc.

vIn the actual production of my improved handicapper, I preferably provide both faces of the card 10 with handicapping indicia, one face with indicia relative to quarter races, as above described, and the opposite face with indicia suitable for thoroughbred racing. A separate slide 39 (Fig. l) is provided for independent shiftingrelative to the thoroughbred handicapping indicia (not shown) on the opposite face of the card 10. Of course. the time column i8 of the thoroughbred racing side would carry markings from ve furlongs, for example, to one mile, and the time columns 11EL to 17a would be accordingly revised.

From the foregoing it is believed that my invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art without further description, it being borne in mind that time, bordering one edge of each window, said rows being progressively graduated from the best time recorded for respective race distances, said slide member carrying a series of identical rows of indicia designating horse lengths and half lengths, said length rows being vertically spaced to coincide with the spacing of said windows and being respectively visible therethrough, a portion of the indicia of each length row being graduated from left to right and an opposite portion from right to left, and vertically aligned markers dividing the opposed graduations of respective rows, whereby, after the initial setting of aV marker for the recorded time of a horse in a race of a given distance, the subsequent shifting thereof to correspond to the lengths lost or gained, causes the corresponding markers of the other length rows to indicate the `adjusted time for the race distances designated adjacent respective windows.

2. A handicapping device as claimed in claim l, wherein said body portion comprises a sheath-like card with saidparallel windows cut in the front Wall thereof, andsaid slide member being projectable and retractible from either end'of said sheath-like body.

. 3. A handicapping device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the spacing of the indicia in said length rows corresponds to the spacing of the indicia in said time rows.

4. A handicapping device comprising a sheath-like card having a series of elongated, parallel windows in its front wall, arrangedv in vertically spaced relation, a vertical column of indiciav designating race distances, at one end of said series of windows and correspondingly spaced, a horizontal row of indicia designating time, bordering each of said windows, along one edge, said rows being.

graduated to respectively represent a predetermined range o f time for each of said distance indicia, a slide member underlying said front wall and longitudinally projectible and retractable with respect to said card, said slide member having a series of identical, parallel rows of indicia, designating lengths and half lengths, respectively aligned with said'windows and visible therethrough, and vertically aligned markers in respective length rows, separatying the indicia in each length row into two groups, progressively graduated in opposite directions from the re-` spective markers, and the longitudinal spacing of said length indiciabeing the same as that of said time indicia,

whereby the setting of the marker of a selected length row with respect to the adjacent time indicia, will automatically adjust the setting of the other markers to respectively indicate corrected time information. 5. A handicapping device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the indicia of said time rows are contained in hori- -zontally aligned, adjoining boxes and the graduations in said length rows are calibrated to coincide with the boundaries of said boxes.

i 6. A handicapping device as claimed in claim 5, where-l in the wall of said sheath-like card is cut out at each end to afford access to the adjacent edges of the underlying slide member.

No references cited. 

